Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing. Again, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for introducing this bill, and I appreciate his tireless work on it. I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico and the minority support on this piece of bipartisan legislation. I will say that H.R. 548 is a commonsense bill that facilitates greater control for the Eastern Band of Cherokee over their sacred and historic homelands in Tennessee. It ensures the protection of their timeless heritage, culture, and tradition, and gives them the opportunity to memorialize the history and culture of the Cherokee people. The Tribe has worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority for more than three decades, and this legislation is long overdue. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Fleischmann for his leadership and fulfilling a vital constituent service. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 423) to take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 423, the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act, introduced by my good friend from California, Congressman Issa, places approximately 721 acres of land the Pala Band of Mission Indians currently owns into trust. The Pala Band of Mission Indians are in the southern California town of Pala, with the reservation totaling approximately 12,000 acres. While the Tribal economy is largely supported by agricultural enterprises, the Tribe also operates a 86,000-square-foot Class III casino and resort. In the early 1990s, San Diego County voters approved a plan to establish the Gregory Canyon landfill project on a 1,700-parcel of land along State Route 76 west of the Pala Band's reservation. Plans for development of the landfill ceased when the original owner of the property fell into bankruptcy in 2014. A successor company began exploring other development opportunities and began meeting with the Tribe to sell a portion of the land to the Tribe for cultural preservation as it contains cultural sites and components meaningful to the Pala Band. In 2016, 721 acres were purchased by the Tribe. Pala Band Chairman Robert Smith testified to Congress that these acres were historically occupied by Native peoples and are the site of an ancestral village, rock art paintings, and ancient artifacts. H.R. 423 does not affect any current land and water rights, nor does it impact any rights-of-way or rights-of-use that are currently permitted. The bill also prohibits any gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on these lands. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Issa for his leadership on this issue. I support the bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his tireless advocacy on behalf of his constituents, and particularly the Pala Band in this instance. I know he has worked on this more than just this year. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the 1973 Vaster High School Basketball Team. Vaster High School was in Moscow, Arkansas, in Jefferson County, and at the time, had a population of around 600 people. Although a small community and school, this team had tenacious grit in the State Overall Championship tournament. Back in 1973, the State of Arkansas decided state champions through an overall state tournament instead of having a state champion by different classifications, as it does today. In a 3-day tournament, Class B Vaster beat Morrilton, a Class AA school on Thursday, then beat Conway, a Class AAA school on Friday, and on Saturday, Vaster faced the Class AAAA, defending state champion, Central High School from Little Rock. It was described as a David versus Goliath matchup going into the game, and everyone expected a blowout win for Central. In the end, Central won the game by only 1 point. Though a heartbreaking loss, Vaster had put itself on the map, had persevered, and exhibited pride in the school, the town, and in the Cinderella run with its first-year head coach and group of fantastic players. There is an event today honoring the 50th Anniversary of Vasters runner-up bid, and while Vaster High School is no longer in existence, the memory of the School shall always be bright because of the 1973 team who fought Central High for the state title. I would like to finish with naming the members of the 1973 Vaster High School basketball team. Herbert Pryor (Head Coach), Andrew Carr (Assistant Coach), Cleveland Allen, Erick Biley, Samuel Biley Jr., Reddic Barkins, Rodney Crawford, (Trainer), Jimmy Dade, Carl Evans, James Evans, Tommy Evans, Roy Franklin, Jimmy Gladney, Ronnie Grice (Manager), Homer Jackson, Melvin Jackson, Jacob Jones (Trainer), Charles Petty, Rodney Ryce, Thomas Tarty. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank those who have remembered and are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1973 Vaster High School Basketball Team. These young men will forever be remembered in the history of Arkansas sports.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Ms. Catherine Cook of Hope, Arkansas. Ms. Cook has honorably served the city of Hope since 1990 and has been City Manager since 1996. Local officials like Ms. Cook are the backbone of America, as they assess and address the needs of their communities. As City Manager, she was instrumental in maintaining and improving the infrastructure of the City of Hope. She has also been active in the community outside of her work as City Manager. This work helped Hope flourish, and the impact of her projects are being felt daily by local families and businesses. Thanks to all that Ms. Cook has done, future generations of Hope residents will have a legacy they can build on and be proud to share. Mr. Speaker, I thank City Manager Cook for her 32 years of service and dedication to the people of Hope.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the creation of DeGray Lake. The 13,400-acre DeGray Lake was created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) built DeGray Dam on the Caddo River for the purpose of flood control, electricity generation, and drinking water supply for the city of Arkadelphia. DeGray Lake is vital in the economy of Southwest Arkansas. Thanks to the cooperation of USACE and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, DeGray Lake Resort State Park, is responsible for more than $36 million in economic activity and hundreds of jobs related to tourism in the surrounding area. DeGray Lake provides more than just economic and infrastructure benefits to the local populace, however. The lake also provides recreational opportunities such as swimming, hiking trails, camping, golfing, and horseback riding which are enjoyed by many Arkansans. And as we all know, the more time the public spends out in nature, the more we realize how critical it is to be good stewards of conserving our natural resources and the beauty of places like DeGray Lake. Mr. Speaker, I thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for building DeGray Lake to serve the people of Southwest Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism for its work in helping preserve DeGray Lake.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Mr. Joe C. Wise, Jr. of Sheridan, Arkansas. Mayor Wise is an institution in the city of Sheridan. He began his service as city Treasurer in 1971 and was first elected Mayor in 1988. For a total of 52 years, Mayor Wise has honorably served the citizens of Sheridan. Local leaders like Mayor Wise are the backbone of America, as they assess and address the needs of their communities. Mayor Wise has been instrumental in the growth and prosperity Sheridan has experienced. One of Mayor Wise's top priorities throughout his time in office has been to improve Sheridan's infrastructure. This work has included expanding the city's wastewater system and paving all the streets in Sheridan. Developing recreational opportunities for the people of Sheridan has also been a big priority for Mayor Wise. During his time as mayor, he created a system of walking trails and expanded the city's fantastic community center. To ensure the longevity and continued development of these investments in the community, Mayor Wise also focused his energy on working closely with Sheridan's police and fire departments to ensure that public safety was at the core of Sheridan's growth. This work has helped Sheridan flourish, and the impacts of these projects are being felt daily by local families and businesses. Thanks to all that Mayor Wise has done, future generations of Sheridan residents will have a legacy they can build on and be proud to share. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mayor Wise for his life of service and dedication to the people of Sheridan.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, S. 4439 would place into trust approximately 1,031 acres of U.S. Forest Service land where the Salmon River meets the Klamath River in Siskiyou and Humboldt Counties in California for the Karuk Tribe. This bill would require that the land be taken into trust for traditional and customary uses for the benefit of the Tribe. This bill would prohibit gaming on the land and would require that the land held in trust shall not affect the status or administration of this section of the Klamath River as a wild and scenic river. The trust land is also subject to valid existing rights, contracts, and management agreements relating to easements and rights-of-way. The Karuk Tribe is one of the largest Tribes in northern California with approximately 3,300 enrolled Tribal members. Its people have lived in northwestern California for thousands of years. The land being placed into trust for the Tribe is considered, as Mr. Tonko stated, the center of the world of their religion, and it is used for their annual world renewal ceremonies. The Tribe has a special use permit with the Forest Service to access these lands for their ceremonies and closes the river during certain times in the summer to facilitate them. However, there have been public disruptions during the ceremonies from some unknowing individuals rafting the river. This bill would ensure the Tribe is able to continue its religious practices and continue teaching future generations of the Karuk people the Tribe's culture and customs. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, while I rise today in support of S. 1942, the National Heritage Area Act, I also have serious concerns with the process by which it came to the floor. Americans have long been known for our ingenuity. From hearing aids and cardiac defibrillators to traffic lights and microwave ovens, Americans have been developing effective solutions to problems for hundreds of years. George Washington Carver discovered more than 300 uses for peanuts and more than 80 uses for sweet potatoes. Americans invented Coca-Cola, Whoppers, Big Macs, the Chick-fil-A sandwich, and chocolate chip cookies. You would think Congress would hold to a legislative process that was more appetizing and didn't end up trying to force feed us a 4,000-page stink sandwich at Christmas. Americans invented countless methods to efficiently and effectively move people across the country. We invented automobiles, airplanes, and the GPS system. We put people on the Moon and built the Panama Canal. So why can't Congress invent an efficient way to move bills through a hearing, markup, over to the Senate, and finally to the President on time, on budget, and with transparency and clear direction? Americans invented the team sports of football, baseball, and basketball. Why can't Congress work together to solve our problems of the day instead of having a small group determine what the Congress must pass without giving us an opportunity to actually legislate, as we all were elected to do? Americans discovered electricity, invented the light bulb, and the laser. Why can't Congress operate in the light and be transparent with Americans instead of producing 4,000-plus page bills, like the omnibus that will be before us in the final days of this session? Americans have invented countless ways to communicate. We invented the telegraph, the telephone, radio, TV, Al Gore's internet, the iPhone, voicemail, email, Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. You would think the House of Representatives could come up with a better process to communicate with the Senate and the White House so it can pass appropriation bills by September 30 and stop the madness that has become the omnibus process. If we did that, maybe we wouldn't have to be here today debating bills that could have and should have been completed long ago. There is a glimmer of hope before us today. This National Heritage Area Act could have easily been buried in the omnibus, adding even more pages, but here we are with the clock running out, doing something that, again, could have and should have been done months ago. It is amazing that when this bill was not agreed to in the omnibus, the Senate magically found time to pass it and send it to the House. I can find many shortcomings in the process that got us to the point that we are at today, but I would like to focus on the positive things we can take from it. As the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), my friend, said about this National Heritage Area Act, it is important to many of my colleagues across the Nation who have very successful National Heritage Areas. These areas have private entities that work very hard to promote their local communities and conserve their unique heritage. This bill, as proposed today, has bipartisan support, and while the process that brought it to the floor leaves much to be desired, again, at least it was not tucked into yet another omnibus spending bill. In fact, if all the authorizations were removed from the omnibus, it would have been 2,238 pages shorter and would be truly about funding the government. Let me repeat that. If we took the authorizations out of the appropriation bill, it would be 2,238 pages shorter. Maybe somebody would have time to read it then. Considering bills on the floor shows us a process that can work the way it was intended. My commitment as chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress is to work extremely hard, to have hearings, markups, and pass authorization bills out of the committee, off the floor, and send them to the Senate using a regular order process. Moving legislation the right way will also prevent the need for authorization bills to be tucked into massive spending bills. But that is only part of the equation. We have to work together to fix the process that gives us bloated omnibus bills in the first place. We should all commit to passing a budget, passing individual appropriation bills, and sending them to the Senate with the understanding that the ball is in their court, and there is not another option, except possibly a continuing resolution-- which we all know is not a popular way to fund the government. I have talked to many House Members and Senators on both sides of the aisle throughout this omnibus process. Interestingly, not one person has told me they like this process, and everyone thinks it needs to be changed. Maybe I just haven't talked to the people that are benefiting the most from this broken process, but I do believe that those of us whose constituents are suffering from it make up a vast majority and can change it. Our constituents think that Washington is broken. It is time for us to work as a team to develop another effective and efficient solution to American problems. With all that being said, I support S. 1942, the National Heritage Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I encourage support of this bill, which should have been done a long time ago. It could have been done a long time ago, but I am grateful to see it is not part of the omnibus spending bill. We are actually voting on it on the floor like we should be doing with all authorization bills. Madam Speaker, I encourage passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3519, offered by my colleague and good friend from Arkansas, Senator John Boozman, which would designate the Butterfield Overland Trail as a national historic trail. This historic trail commemorates the route pioneered by the Butterfield Overland Mail Company as they transported mail and people along the Oxbow Route between 1858 and 1861. Starting in Missouri and Tennessee and ending in California, this route was pivotal to westward expansion prior to the Civil War and plays an important role in Arkansas' history. In fact, four segments of the route have been designated on the National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas and the Potts Home in Pope County as the most intact stagecoach station in this country. This station has been well-maintained by the Pope County Historical Foundation as the Potts Inn Museum. In 2018, the National Park Service completed a special resource study of the trail and found that the Butterfield Overland Trail meets the criteria for national significance and is feasible, suitable, and desirable for designation as a national historic trail. I concur that this trail is well-suited for designation, and I hope that this new national historic trail will help bring renewed attention to the important role Arkansas played in shaping our Nation. Madam Speaker, I thank Senator Boozman for his steadfast leadership on this bill, an issue that he has championed since 2007. I would also like to thank him for ensuring that important provisions protecting energy development and private property rights were added to the legislation. These are commonsense provisions that will ensure the historic trail will not interfere with any energy development, production, or transmission. On a personal note, during the summers when I was in college and I was having to carry out a long-distance relationship with my college sweetheart back before iPhones and the internet, my late father-in-law actually retired from the Postal Service, and I think it was very fitting that their address was 1208 Butterfield Trail. I sent many letters to that address during those long summers. Butterfield Trail holds a special place in my heart. Madam Speaker, I support this bipartisan bill. I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in qualified support of S. 3168. I agree with the goals of this bill, which are to build a water storage project and provide a Tribe a mechanism to develop its legal water rights. The White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 intended to meet those stated goals. However, the legislation before us today is now the third time that Congress has needed to revisit that 2010 law. It is not surprising because when Congress considered the underlying law that this bill amends, the Obama administration testified it had concerns with the legislation. Then-Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor stated that his agency ``determined the Tribe's cost estimate . . . is not sufficiently detailed or comprehensive to provide the necessary assurance that the project can be constructed for that amount of money.'' The Democrat majority at the time ignored the warnings of the Obama administration. As a result, the cost of the dam that would help deliver water to the reservation has ballooned. Fast forward 12 years later, and here we are with this settlement in serious jeopardy due to unworkable timelines. Now we are rushing to fix mistakes that could have been avoided in 2010. This bill would extend the settlement's enforceability deadline from April 2023 to December of 2027. It would also authorize additional discretionary spending for the construction of the 8,600-acre-feet water storage dam that the United States Government promised to deliver in the settlement. To guarantee that we are not reopening this settlement yet again, this bill includes language that deems the settlement complete once the funds are expended. It would also require that any unspent funds be returned to the U.S. Treasury. In addition, at my request, the bill would require annual reports to Congress detailing implementation progress and cost accounting for the settlement. Lastly, the bill before us today does not include new mandatory spending, a positive change from previous versions of the legislation. Unfortunately, when this bill was heard at the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee, the Biden administration did not make a witness available to answer any questions about the legislation at that hearing. To make matters worse, it was never marked up in the Natural Resources Committee. Not only should this bill have gone through regular order, but we need to look at improving the congressional process for considering Indian water rights settlements. That starts with more transparency about what is being proposed. For example, if Congress authorizes taxpayer funds, the administration needs to explain why the settlement represents a net benefit to the taxpayer, and a witness from the administration needs to be able to explain the rationale for the administration's conclusions. There needs to be regular order, not a rush to consider a bill by both Chambers in the ending days of Congress. Despite my reservations about this bill's process--or lack thereof--I join my colleagues from Arizona to bring finality to this issue for the White Mount Apache Tribe and the non-Indian water users who depend on concluding this settlement once and for all. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, S. 5087 would extend by an additional 18 months the sunset of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice's Joint Commission on Reducing Violent Crime Against Indians. It would also extend by 18 months the time available for the commission to submit its findings and recommendations to Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Attorney General. This bill would clarify that the commission may accept and use gifts or donations of services or property from Indian Tribes, Tribal entities, academic institutions, or other not-for-profit organizations, as needed, to carry out its duties. Signed into law on October 10, 2020, the Not Invisible Act of 2019 was intended to coordinate efforts to reduce violent crime within Indian lands and against Indians. The act required the Department of the Interior to designate a Bureau of Indian Affairs official to coordinate Federal prevention efforts, grants, and programs related to cases of Indians that were missing, murdered, or victims of human trafficking. The act required the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice to establish a joint commission on violent crime on Indian lands and against Indians. Within 18 months of enactment, the commission was required to develop and make publicly available recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior, the Attorney General, and Congress on actions the Federal Government can take to combat violent crime against Indians and on Indian lands, including recommendations for identifying, reporting, and responding to instances of missing persons, murder, and human trafficking. The Department of the Interior has reported that the commission was not fully established until April 2022 and has requested additional time to do its work. While I believe the findings and recommendations of the commission are warranted, I am disappointed in the process for this legislation. S. 5087 has no House companion bill, and Democrats failed to conduct regular order for this legislation before bringing it to the floor of the House. The authorization for the commission expired in October, yet this majority failed to prioritize extension of this authorization to address this important issue. Instead, we are here just days before the end of the 117th Congress, rushing this and other issues off the floor of the House and to the President for his signature. While I support the goals of this legislation, this is not how we should be conducting our business in the House. Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the Don Young Recognition Act honors the legacy of the late dean of the House, who passed away in March of this year after serving the people of Alaska in Congress for 49 years. This bill, led by Senators Murkowski and Sullivan of Alaska, would designate one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands as Mount Young. This bill would also rename two Federal buildings in Alaska in his honor, the one in Fairbanks as the Don Young Federal Office Building and the one in Palmer as the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center. For those of us who were fortunate enough to count Don Young as a friend and colleague, there could be no more fitting tribute to the powerful dean of the House and former chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources than to rename an active volcano in his honor. Much like a volcano, Don Young was an active and fiery public servant and advocate for the great State of Alaska. He was a brilliant legislator and a leader who delivered landmark legislation, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act, and the America Needs Worthwhile Resources Act. The excellent work he did in his nearly 50 years in Congress benefited not only the people of Alaska but our Nation as a whole. It was an honor to serve with Don Young, and I was proud to consider him a mentor and dear friend. His breadth of experience, his leadership, and his colorful stories are sorely missed. He left behind a legacy unlike any other, and it is fitting that we honor him with passage of this bill today. I support this bill and someday hope to visit Mount Young and reflect on my friend's service to Alaska and America. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I, again, rise in qualified support of the Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act. This bill would settle the Hualapai Tribe's last water rights claims in Arizona pertaining to the Colorado River Basin and the Verde River Basin. The first settlement, which only focused on the Bill Williams River Basin, was completed in 2014. Unlike the settlements passed in 2010, which often promised to construct a specific water project for the Tribe to develop its water rights, this is a fund-based legal settlement meant to provide finality for all supplement parties. This would allow the Tribe to make its own decisions regarding how, when, and where to develop water infrastructure on its Reservation. I have personally visited the Tribe and have seen firsthand how important this settlement is to the Hualapai. Unfortunately, the process by which this bill has moved through Congress has been flawed from the beginning. During the Natural Resources Committee's consideration, the Biden administration failed to provide a witness with any knowledge of the settlement. Instead, it submitted written testimony which afforded our members no opportunity to engage in a discussion of the merits or concerns of the bill before us today. That hearing was as far as the bill went, as the majority chose not to mark up the bill thereafter. Instead, we are considering a Senate bill that was not even sent to the House with a bill report explaining the reasons for changes the Senate made to the bill. While the bill lacks a report to provide a legislative history, I am pleased that the bill was amended to no longer include mandatory funding, which addresses a principal concern of mine. With respect to the legislative process, Congress can do better than this, and the soon-to-be Republican majority will provide a more robust process to consider these types of settlements, especially legislation that authorizes Federal expenditures. Congress needs to have answers from the administration on whether expenditures will eliminate Federal legal and economic liability and whether the proposed funding represents a net benefit to the American taxpayer. Instead, at a hearing on this bill, the committee had a ``Weekend at Bernie's'' moment, having been presented with scripted testimony by a witness unable to answer any questions. It is Congress' responsibility to ensure that any Indian water right settlement that we enact provides finality for the Tribe, the State of Arizona, the water and power users, and the American taxpayers. While the process by which this bill came before us today was deeply flawed, this bill seeks to provide the finality that should be expected from such legislation. Despite my reservations over the process, or lack thereof, I join with my Republican and Democrat colleagues from Arizona to urge adoption of this bill. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Sinema on important issues like these. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 3773 would amend current law to authorize the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation to lease their land held in trust for a term of up to 99 years. Since 1834, land transactions with Native Americans have been prohibited unless specifically authorized by Congress. This has continued to apply to lands held in trust by the United States for the benefit of individual Indians or Tribes. In 1955, Congress authorized that any Indian lands held in trust or land subject to a restriction against alienation could be leased by the Indian owner, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior for terms of 10 or 25 years. Today the 10- or 25-year lease length can be a challenge, especially when Tribes want to engage in economic endeavors requiring longer lease periods. To date, Congress has authorized specific Indian land or Indian Tribes to lease land, subject to approval of the Secretary, for a term of up to 99 years more than 50 times. This bill would provide the same authority for the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, authorizing the Tribe to lease its trust land for terms up to 99 years. Granting this authority will allow the Tribe to develop multiple warehouse facilities on the trust lands to support American supply chain infrastructure and generate economic opportunity for the Tribal community. While I fully support the policy contained in S. 3773, I must, again, voice my frustration with the way in which the majority is considering these bills here today just days before Christmas. This is not how we should be conducting our business in the House. Though I am frustrated with the process by which this bill came before us today, I am glad that it hasn't been buried in the omnibus with no discussions. I can say that about all these authorization bills that we are considering today. If there is a silver lining, it is that these haven't been buried into an omnibus--a 4,000-page-plus omnibus. Mr. Speaker, I am supportive of the underlying legislation before us, I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise again in qualified support of the Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act. This bill would authorize the Colorado River Indian Tribes, or CRIT, to enter into agreements with non-Indian water users to lease, exchange, or store a portion of its decreed water rights in Arizona. At a time when Arizona and the West are facing historic drought and water supply cutbacks, this bill could actually provide some near-term relief to those in desperate need of water. In Arizona, for example, agricultural and other water deliveries from the Colorado River have been reduced. The farmers who feed America are staring at a bleak water future as a result. This bill is not a cure-all, but it could help facilitate water transactions between the Colorado River Indian Tribes and Indian and non-Indian communities in Arizona increasing availability of water at no cost to the Federal Government. Again, it is unfortunate that despite the legislation's potential benefits, it has not gone through regular order. In fact, this bill was never introduced in the House of Representatives, and the Natural Resources Committee did not have an opportunity to discuss the merits of this legislation or offer amendments at markup. Congress can do better than this, and the House fully intends to do so in the next Congress under a Republican watch. Nevertheless, this no-Federal-cost legislation aims to give the Colorado River Indian Tribes parity with the authorities granted to Tribes under various other Indian water rights settlements in Arizona. Mr. Speaker, despite my reservations over the lack of process on this measure, I join with my Republican and Democrat colleagues from Arizona, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Our neighbors in Puerto Rico are American citizens. They are afforded the protections under the Constitution of the United States. I am from Arkansas. Arkansas was a territory at one time. There is a process for becoming a State. The American citizens in Puerto Rico deserve the respect to have a process that has actually been thought out, that has been debated, and that gives them an opportunity to enter statehood in a way that is more common to the way other States have entered. This bill is not that. This bill has serious problems with it. We are right here at the end of Congress. To me, this just looks like a political ploy as we are waiting to pass a massive spending bill before we go home for Christmas and start the new Congress. Madam Speaker, in closing, it is obvious there is bipartisan support for Puerto Rican self-determination. That is not the issue. The issue is the process, and this is a bad process. If this is so important to the majority, then I ask: Why today? Why today? Less than 20 days before this Congress ends and Democrats transition to the minority, why bring this bill today? Was there not time in the past 4 years to have hearings on this bill, to have other committees look at this bill? But yesterday, we get notice of an emergency Rules Committee meeting to consider this bill that all of a sudden is so important, but it wasn't important, certainly not in this Congress. We didn't have a hearing on this bill. We had a markup, a markup without a hearing. The committee spent more time talking about big cats. We had hearings on big cats, then we talked about Puerto Rican status. There are 10,000 big cats in the United States, and there are over 3 million Puerto Rican citizens. That is why we are not supporting this bill today, and that is why it is disingenuous to bring it to the House less than 20 days before the end of this Congress when both sides have agreed that there are problems with the bill, problems that need to be worked out, but there is no recourse in this bill for Congress to have a second look at it. We can't control the Senate, but I doubt very seriously the Senate is going to be taking up this bill. So that leads me to conclude that what we are doing here at the end of December, discussing Puerto Rican status, is simply just a political ploy on the backs of the Puerto Rican citizens of the United States. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. If there is one thing that I think has come out in this discussion is that there are problems with this bill. It is not a ``perfect piece of legislation.'' It needs work done on it. But we have to look at what the bill says. The way this bill is written, if it were to pass today, if it passes out of this House and it went through the process in the Senate, signed by the President, then we have abrogated all of our responsibilities and authority, because it doesn't come back to Congress for any kind of approval. So both sides have agreed, in a bipartisan manner, that this bill has problems, yet we are voting on it today to say, with problems, that is okay; we are just going to go ahead and move it through the process, even though we have all recognized that there are problems with the bill. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).